Discover Dayton: Top 10 Unbelievable Fun Facts About Ohio's Hidden Gem

1. Orville's Car-Wash-Inspiring Shower

At Hawthorn Hill, you could say Orville Wright's shower predicted the future of car washes: Dayton, Ohio boasts the historic Wright-Brother-designed mansion with a shower contraption that sprays water from all directions, a personal library, and famous visitors like Charles Lindbergh, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Neil Armstrong.
Source => atmmarketplace.com

2. Superman's Air Force Garage

If Superman had a garage for his flying collection, Dayton, Ohio would likely be its location: The city hosts the National Museum of the United States Air Force, nestled within Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where aircraft and missile enthusiasts can explore an epic assortment of aero-treasures, without worrying about parking fees or charging spots for their earth-bound electric chariots!
Source => nationalmuseum.af.mil

Did you know Cincinnati was once known as "Porkopolis" and the matchmaking capital for pigs in the 1800s? Discover how this hog heaven impacted the city's history and why it eventually declined. 🐖💔

=> Fun Facts about Cincinnati

3. Chip, Media, and Welder Expansion

In the land where chips reign supreme and welders can be wicked: Dayton, Ohio sees three companies - Mikesell's Potato Chip Co., Tri-State Media LLC, and Wicked Welding Inc. - receiving JobsOhio inclusion grants totaling $125,000, enabling them to expand their businesses, create new jobs, and support underrepresented communities.
Source => daytondailynews.com

4. Popcorn-Fueled Film Dreams

Aspiring movie moguls, look no further than Dayton, Ohio, where popcorn futures are popping and aspiring Spielbergs have found their silver screen dreams: Wright State's Motion Pictures program students have not only directed films screened at prestigious festivals like Sundance, but the annual Big Lens Film Festival showcases these talents, with entries even receiving Student Academy Award nominations. Lights, camera, Dayton!
Source => liberal-arts.wright.edu

5. Tornado-Resistant Skyscraper

When the winds of change blow in, Dayton, Ohio says "U can't touch this!" : The city’s iconic 14-story First National Bank of Omaha flaunts a tornado-resistant "U"-shape, built in 1916 following the devastating Easter tornado outbreak of 1913 to showcase Dayton's resilience, ingenuity, and unyielding commitment to giving Mother Nature the slip.
Source => farmersalmanac.com

6. Artistic Avengers Shopping Hub

In Dayton, Ohio, you can shop 'til you drop for art that'll make your heart sing and your wallet scream for mercy: The Village Artisans cooperative art gallery at 100 Corry Street in Yellow Springs showcases the jaw-dropping masterpieces of local creatives like a vibrant, artisan-powered Avengers line-up. Open Monday to Thursday at 11 am-5 pm, Friday to Saturday 11 am-6 pm, and Sunday noon-5 pm, this hotspot serves up handcrafted jewelry, pottery, woodworking, photography, paintings, drawings, fiber, glass, and mixed media art that's just begging for a spot on your mantle.
Source => villageartisans.org

7. Car Self-Starter's Humble Beginnings

Before automobiles got their groove on with a little button called a self-starter, horses probably thought humans were such 'neigh-sayers': Dayton, Ohio's Carillon Historical Park features Deeds Barn, where innovators Edward A. Deeds and Charles F. Kettering created the modern ignition system and self-starter for cars – including the 1912 Cadillac that sits in the replica barn, forever revving in gratitude.
Source => gutenberg.org

8. Nature's Nightclub and Purification Palace

If H2O had a swanky nightclub, the Five Rivers MetroParks in Dayton, Ohio, would be the hottest spot, where water purification is the name of the game: This eco-party hotspot filters a whopping 11 billion gallons of water annually thanks to its forests, wetlands, and prairies that work like nature's Brita filters, while its 6,000 acres of forest habitats help remove 14 million pounds of carbon dioxide and 155,000 pounds of small particles, leading to cleaner air for all those oxygen-loving partygoers.
Source => metroparks.org

9. Sky-High Extravaganza

What do you get when you take skies above the birthplace of aviation, add a pinch of "whoosh," and a dash of "vroom"? A spectacular airborne extravaganza, of course: Dayton, Ohio hosts the Vectren Dayton Air Show, ranked among the top 10 best air shows in the nation by USA Today readers, featuring world-class aerobatic acts, military and civilian aircraft, and attracting over 44,000 skyward-gazing spectators annually. Plus, in case your curiosity is still air-born, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton snags the third spot on USA Today's list of best free museums in the United States.
Source => daytondailynews.com

10. Gigantic Sky-Gushing Fountain

They say size matters, and in Dayton, Ohio, they're not just spouting nonsense: Dayton's RiverScape MetroPark is home to one of the world's largest fountains, the Five Rivers Fountain of Lights, which shoots water 200 feet into the air, spans 800 feet in diameter, and uses 2,500 gallons of water per minute from the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer.
Source => metroparks.org